Broncos Looking Forward To Going Solo

However, for members of the Santa Clara University men's soccer team who have played six matches in just over two weeks, tomorrow's only event of the weekend looks just fine.

The 12th-ranked Broncos host No. 25 Florida International in a rare 5:30 p.m. kickoff Friday in Buck Shaw Stadium. The match will be the opener for a doubleheader with the fourth-ranked SCU women's team, which plays host to Saint Louis University in an 8 p.m. match. Advance tickets are available by calling 408/554-4660. One ticket for the evening provides admission to both matches.

Following the FIU match, Santa Clara will travel to neighboring San Jose State on Wednesday at Spartan Stadium for the annual Rivalry Series match between the two teams.

Tomorrow's match will mark the first time in this young season that Santa Clara will not play two matches over a three-day weekend. SCU defeated then second-ranked UCLA 3-2 to open the season, the followed that up with a 1-0 win at Fullerton two days later. The next weekend, the Broncos dropped a 3-1 decision at then sixth-ranked Maryland and defeated previously undefeated Georgetown 4-0.

"Florida International will provide a very difficult challenge for our team," said head coach Cameron Rast, who owns a 24-3-2 record at Buck Shaw Stadium in three-plus seasons. "They have great team speed, a terrific soccer history and a very talented forward in Carron Williams. It is probably a good thing we have a few days off before we play San Jose State because FIU is certain to test us defensively."

Santa Clara enters Friday's match against FIU with a 4-2-0 record after splitting a pair of games in what was billed as the Bay Area Classic last weekend. The Broncos defeated Stanford 2-1 in overtime Friday night at home then dropped a heartbreaking 1-0 decision at 6th-ranked Cal on Sunday.

Reserve forward Keith DeVey leads the Broncos offensively, despite coming off the bench in each of the first six matches. The Kula, Hawai'i native has five goals and one assist, is a two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Week and earned Soccer America National Player of the Week honors. Sophomore Peter Lowry has two goals and an assist, including the game-winner against Stanford.

Freshman defender Jide Ogunbiyi is the WCC Player of the Week after a solid weekend in helping the Bronco defensive back line allow just one offensive goal last weekend. After limiting Stanford to just a penalty kick goal in the 90 minute regulation, Ogunbiyi headed-in a Lowry service into the box for the overtime game-winner against the Cardinal.

The Broncos could feature a couple of lineup changes as they continue to prepare for the rigors of conference play. Senior forward Kelechi Igwe will miss Friday's match after receiving a red card at Cal on Sunday.

Since FIU opened competition in men's soccer in 1972, the Golden
Panthers have advanced to 15 NCAA Tournaments, advancing to the
title game five times and winning the Division II national championship twice. FIU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament for four straight seasons
and eight times since it began competing in Division I in 1987.

Williams, who leads the Golden Panthers (4-1-0) in scoring with 12 points on six goals, is tied for fifth in the NCAA in goals per game (1.20) and is tied for eighth in points per game (2.40). The speedy senior leads Conference USA in goals, points per game, goals per game and is tied for first in game-winning goals, while ranking among the league's top five in shots and shots per game. Senior Lucas Scudeler (Sao Paolo, Brazil) leads the conference with 1.33 assists per game.